My old truck left me stranded a few miles off the pavement and about eighteen miles from the nearest cel reception way up in the Uinta Mountains a few years back about thirty minutes after sundown. I hoofed it out and along the way had several nervous packs of coyotes escort me through their territory. I can't say for sure but got the impression that they were a lot more afraid of me than I of them and were worried about the den and their pups. I could hear them yipping and making all kinds of sounds I didn't know they made from both sides of the dirt road and later the highway but never saw one. I was treated to only a few howls but non-stop chatter right up to the edge of civilization. It was quite the performance well worth a few blisters and one very expensive cab fare.
That sounds like a wonderful experience. It seems like for most people the default setting is fear when it comes to wild animals, particularly predators. I'm always thrilled to see critters when I'm out hiking. I haven't come face to face w/ a cougar or wolf, but I've seen bears, coyotes, foxes, bobcats. Most of the time the animals want nothing to do w/ humans and leave as quickly as possible. Other times they seem somewhat curious, but not threatening or aggressive.
